1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to distillation devices for distilling liquids, and in particular to distillation devices which use solar energy to distill sea water to fresh water.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As the world's supply of fresh water dwindles, and the demand continues to rise, it is becoming more and more important to find new supplies of fresh water. One promising source of fresh water is the ocean. The salty sea water can be evaporated, and condensed to produce distilled water.
Several distillation devices have been designed to evaporate sea water using solar energy. U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,136 (Clavier) discloses one such device. This device includes two adjacent canals fed with sea water, a greenhouse type structure over one of the canals to vaporize water from it, and a structure for condensation of water. The condensation structure is in communication with the greenhouse structure and is largely immersed in the second canal. The second canal acts as a cold source for the condensing unit.
Prior art solar distillation devices generally consist of greenhouse type structures. Sea water is contained in the structure, which has a roof consisting of some type of light concentrating lens. As sunlight passes through the roof of the greenhouse structure, the light rays are concentrated in the sea water, and the steam rises to the roof of the structure. The steam then contacts some condensing means which condenses the steam to a distilled liquid. Examples of this type of structure may be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,949 (Stark); U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,981 (Stark); and U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,709 (Stark et al.)